The Masterpiece of Creation
The insights of science about the cosmos are coming to us thick and fast. Our generation is being showered with insights about the history and structure of creation which were hidden from our predecessors. This new knowledge helps us to understand God’s artistic work, appreciate it properly and relate lovingly to its creator. Creation is God’s self-revelation, and we have much to learn from it. Then we can participate more effectively in co-creating and restoring the divine masterpiece.
Excerpted from Sacred Space The Companion by The Irish Jesuits (p.67)
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Belonging
‘Precisely because of his life experience, St. Ignatius of Loyola saw with great clarity that every Christian is involved in a battle that defines his or her life. It is a struggle to overcome the temptation of closing in on ourselves, so that the love of the Father can make its home in us. When we make room for the Lord who rescues us from our self-sufficiency, we open up to all of creation and every creature. We become channels of the Father’s life and love. Only then do we realise what life truly is: a gift of the Father who loves us deeply and desires that we belong to him and to each other.’ Pope Francis
Excerpted from the foreword to First Belong To God by Austen Ivereigh
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Anger
Anger is a volatile and fiery emotion; it can flare quickly, easily dominate our thinking and take over our minds and actions to the point where it comes out as harsh, ugly and damaging. The problem is that incorrectly used it is hijacked by our emotions, not used for God’s plan.
If the purpose of anger is to right a wrong, then we have to be careful to use it appropriately and to direct it at the problem. Many people end up carrying enormous amounts of unexpressed anger because of real or perceived hurts, or end up letting fly at anyone or anything that gets in the way (I see red and let go so all around me feel the anger).
Praying with anger is enormously difficult because of the amount of emotions involved.
Excerpted from Deeper Into The Mess: Praying Through Tough Times by Brendan McManus SJ and Jim Deeds (p.61)
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The Value of Interiority
‘there is one especially salient message Ignatius can give us: the great value of interiority. I mean by this everything that has to do with the sphere of the heart, of deep intentionality, of decisions made from within.’
Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini SJ
…interiority is the antidote to much that is insidiously destructive in our contemporary society. The secularisation of culture, the frantic pace of life, the pressures of competition, the seductiveness of consumerism…these and other influences mould our way of living. Even the quality of our most precious relationships is frequently put at risk. We are drawn to live superficially, on the surface of things, losing touch with our deeper and more authentic selves.
Excerpted from Sacred Space The Companion By The Irish Jesuits (pp.14-15)
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Reflection and Learning
The philosopher Socrates spoke about living reflectively. It got him into trouble. It’s easier to go with the flow and make no waves. However, without reflection, we don’t grow. Ignatius of Loyola proposes reflection as a way of life. Learning from experience was essential for him, but applying that learning was even more important. Without reflection there’s no way forward. We get stuck in a rut. We get trapped in a rigid world-view both personally and communally, which inspires poor decisions that impact negatively on ourselves and our world. Sooner or later we get stuck in our ways, unable to adapt to change. Ignatius has given us helpful strategies for structured reflection to cover all areas of life. For Ignatius, the Cartesian slogan ‘I think, therefore I am’ could be better adapted to ‘I learn, therefore I am’.
Excerpted from Reimagining Religion: A Jesuit Vision by Jim Maher SJ (p.12)
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Finding God in All Things
By taking your cues from a spirituality which helps you to find God in everything, you will see God hidden under many disguises. Your searching and finding can go on forever. Life then becomes an exciting adventure, which carries great joy. Christian faith comes to life, and the Church grows. We are made, after all, for God, so in finding God, we experience a rich depth of joy which does not fade. And since we reveal or hide God from one another by the depth of our appreciation of God, every finding of God can help others to grow.
Excerpted from Finding God in All Things by Brian Grogan SJ (p.10)
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Trust in God
Ignatius followed the Spirit, without passing him by; thus, he was gently led to the unknown; and slowly the path opened up for him, along which he wisely went ignorantly, his heart simply focussed on Christ.
One of the most striking fruits of that way is trust. People who believe in an active, loving God have nothing to fear. They desire simply to consciously hand over their life and entrust it to God, not least out of the belief that this great God knows much better than limited humankind what is the best way to walk.
Excerpted from Living with Ignatius: On the Compass of Joy by Nikolaas Sintobin SJ (pp.28-29)
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The Glory of Our Being
So many fail to see the glory and beauty of their inner being. Many people get caught up in the messiness and imperfection encountered in life and in themselves. That messiness and imperfection can be mistaken for failure, ugliness or even a reason to hate.
When we’re in that mode, we fail to see how complex, well-ordered and smooth we are at our heart and core. We have been created and are being created daily as well. Not only that, but the One who creates us loves us and wants to be in dialogue with us. It is possible to take our feelings of messiness and imperfection to our Creator and to understand that our Creator is with us even, and maybe especially, in those times.
Excerpted from Deeper Into The Mess: Praying Through Tough Times by Brendan McManus SJ and Jim Deeds (p.15)
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Bad times are not evidence that God is punishing me
In Jesus’ day there was a common belief that whatever misfortunes people experienced were a punishment for sin. The more a person suffered, the greater his or her sin must have been! Jesus rejected this simplistic notion. Instead, he emphasised repentance, which means a turning towards God and toward one’s neighbour. As always, Jesus tells us not only to look outward, but also to look in; he is concerned with what is going on in our heads and in our hearts. He wants us to ask ourselves how God is opening us to compassion, prompting us to repentance, and leading us to life.
Excerpted from Sacred Space: A Little Book of Encouragement edited by Vinita Hampton Wright (p. 136)
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Discernment: Like Sailing a Boat
Discernment is like sailing a boat on a large body of water when the wind is strong. Success depends on the wind, the sailor and the rudder.
The direction of the wind is like the voice of the heart. It expresses what sets them in motion and moves them forward.
The sailor is like the mind. She judges the direction and strength of the wind so as to respond optimally. Without a sailor, the ship has no direction and is at risk of rapid damage. She has to constantly take the direction of the wind into account. Without the wind, the sailor can do nothing.
The rudder, finally, is like the will. It gives the ability to make concrete decisions and choices. The rudder allows you to take to the open sea and sail further and further, instead of staying by the shore or bobbing about aimlessly.
Excerpted from Trust Your Feelings: Learning how to make choices with Ignatius of Loyola by Nikolaas Sintobin SJ (p.58)
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